Blueberry and Book Festival welcomes three new authors to its lineup this year

The 4th annual Blueberry and Book Festival is scheduled, rain or shine, on Saturday, July 21 in Berkshire. This summer’s festival welcomes three new authors to its line-up – Karen Bernardo, retired Director of the Coburn Free Library; Eileen Morock, co-publisher of the Moonlighter; and Linda Spielman, environmental educator and leading expert in animal tracking.

Karen Bernardo began as a library assistant and served ten years as director at Owego’s library. She has a degree in Literature, with a specialization in Creative Writing from Binghamton University (Harpur College).

She has written all her life, but began to work at it every day as she recuperated from cancer. The Perfect Spin of a Rifle is Bernardo’s first published book; but she expects to have a second, The Perfect Cake for a Lady, ready by the festival.

Two more mysteries are “in the pipeline” as well as a couple of children’s books. She lives in Vestal with her husband, David, and has a daughter and four lovely grandchildren.

Newark Valley resident Eileen Morock was inspired to write Modern Day Burning Bush by her personal experiences. Initially frustrated that God had apparently gone silent since the Bible days when He spoke to Moses through a burning bush, Morock, through intense introspection and hindsight, realized that she had been receiving guidance all throughout her life via “signs” and synchronistic occurrences. She wanted to explore the evidence that suggests that God still communicates with us, not face-to-face as in Bible times, but through signs and synchronicity. She believes that divine guidance is given-not just occasionally or for major events or in a dramatic fashion or to some people – but to everyone and in everyday life – the subtle nudges that stir you if you’re paying attention.

She uses true stories of people from all walks of life, whose common denominator is the experience of receiving one or more signs, and their responses to them. The book is illustrated by Newark Valley artist Carrie Tornatore.

Linda Spielman has loved animal tracking since childhood and was curious to know what happened in the woods when she wasn’t there. With extensive academic credentials in plant and wildlife study, Spielman has conducted workshops for trackers of all skill levels and presented slide shows sharing her large collection of track photographs for many venues including Lime Hollow Nature Center, Cornell Outing Club, Friends of Six-Mile Creek, Healing Hearts Women’s Retreat, and leads the Ithaca Tracking Club.

A Field Guide to TrackingMammals in the Northeast fills a hitherto unmet need by portraying a wide range of appearances for the tracks of each species. In addition to its meticulously drawn illustrations, the lightweight, compact book provides everything needed to make accurate identifications of the tracks of forty mammal species in the northeastern United States.

These three are just a sample of the local authors to be featured at the Berkshire Blueberry and Book Festival Enjoy blueberry pancakes, chicken BBQ, live music, over 30 vendors, kid’s activities, and more.

For information about the Blueberry Bake-Off contest to benefit the Helping Hands Food Pantry, visit www.redbrickchurch.org.

The main fest events are slated from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will be held at the Berkshire Community Hall, the Berkshire Fire Station and Berkshire Free Library, and all are within easy walking distance from each other.

Early birds can grab a place in line for blueberry pancakes starting as early as 7 a.m., but no worries, you can get your pancake-fill until 10 a.m. Foodies will also enjoy a chicken barbeque.